Automatic call distribution (ACD) systems are known. Such systems are typically used in an organizational context within private branch telephone exchanges (PBXs)as a means of distributing telephone calls among a group of agents of the organization. While the automatic call distributor (ACD) may be a separate part of the PBX, often the ACD is integrated into and is an indistinguishable part of the PBX.
Often the organization disseminates a single telephone number to its customers and to the public in general as a means of contacting the organization. As calls are directed to the organization from the public switch telephone network (PSTN), the automatic call distribution system directs the calls to its agents based upon some algorithm, typically based upon availability. For example, where all agents are consider equal, the ACD may distribute the calls based upon which agent position (telephone) has been idle the longest.
In order to distribute incoming calls from the PSTN to the available agents, the interaction of a controlling computer with a switching fabric of the PBX and ACD becomes essential. Often a connection to a local PSTN is in the form of a number of trunk connections. Each of the trunk connections is monitored by the controller for incoming calls. Where a call is detected, the controller searches for and selects an idle agent. Upon selecting an agent, the controller commands the switch to form a connection between the incoming trunk and selected agent.
In more complicated systems, the organization may use a number of telephone numbers to identify different individuals and functions within the organization. Each telephone number may be assigned to a particular incoming trunk or group of incoming trunk lines. As such, the controller may be required to recognize a call target based upon an identity of an incoming trunk line and route the call accordingly.
In other systems, the ACD of an organization may receive calls directed to different call targets over the same trunk lines. In such a case, the call target may be identified to the ACD by a pulse code modulated (PCM) signal transferred from the PSTN to the controller of the ACD by a dialed number identification service (DNIS) operating from within the PSTN.
In systems associated with service organizations, where many calls are received and handled by many agents, it may be important for an agent to have ready access to customer files. In such a situation, a database is maintained of existing customers. Customer records may be displayed on agent terminals as the agents converse with specific customers. In some cases, the customer may be identified to the database for display of records on the terminal by the agent entering a customer identifier into a keyboard associated with the terminal. Alternatively, the controller of the ACD may transfer an identifier of the customer to the database based upon an automatic number identification (ANI) facility, operating from within the PSTN.
Where ANI is used, the controller of the ACD receives the ANI digits (identifying the caller via the caller's telephone number) at the same time the call arrives from the PSTN. Upon selecting an agent, the controller may transfer the call to a queue for the selected agent or directly to the selected agent. At the same time that the call is delivered to the agent, the controller sends an identifier of the selected agent and ANI number of the customer to a controller of the database (the host). The host, in turn, displays the customer records via a computer monitor of the selected agent at the same time the call is delivered.
Calls are typically placed in a queue when insufficient agents are available to answer the calls as they appear on incoming trunks. Messages are often delivered to callers in the queue as they wait for the next available agent.
The economic benefit provided by an ACD lies generally it its ability to automate and facilitate call handling. Automation of call handling by the ACD is in no small part facilitated by the use of written instructions presented to the agents on the agent terminal during each step of call processing. The presentation of written instructions to the agent allows the organization using the ACD to hire agents with little or no computer skills.
For instance, an ACD typically assigns calls based upon an agent's qualifications. To determine what agents are available at any given instant, the ACD requires an agent to sign in at a beginning of a shift and to sign out at an end of a shift. To facilitate this process, the ACD presents written instructions on a terminal screen of the steps to follow in signing in.
Once signed on, the ACD may present further instructions to the agent. For instance, text may be presented on the terminal screen specifying a particular greeting to use on a first contact with the customer. Instructions may be presented as to what questions to ask.
Once basic information has been solicited from the customer, further instructions may be provided on what resources to use in servicing the customer. Information may be offered on how to transfer the call to another agent in the event that a first agent is not qualified to service the call.
While the concept of written instructions has worked well, most ACDs are structured to present textual information only in the English language. While most terminals are inherently able to process characters in any language, most instructional messages to an agent originate from the ACD and in the programming of the ACD. Because of the many multi-lingual uses for ACDs a need exists for a way of easily adapting ACDs for use with other languages.